When arriving at the Galapagos airport, you must first pass through the Galapagos National Park entrance and then onto baggage claim. Continuing through the airport with your baggage you will scan your belongings once more and then finally pass through.  

Just outside the doors will be your Guide waiting with a sign to greet you.  Once all those who will be boarding are together, the guide will escort everyone to the vessel to be welcomed by the crew and Cruise Manager.

At the end of your cruise, your guide will transfer you and the rest of the group to the airport specified in the itinerary with assistance at the check-in area.  

Special Note: The following itinerary includes all necessary details on each day’s activities.  If you have further questions please contact your Account Manager or Travel Agent.  

AM: San Cristobal: Arrival and transfer to boat

• Briefing onboard about the boat and the island.

PM: San Cristobal: Lobos Island / Kicker RockRead

• Isla Lobos or Lobos Island is named after the sea lions that rest and play on its rocky shores. It is also home to blue-footed boobies, great frigate-birds, brown pelicans, lava gulls, common noddies, yellow warblers and small and medium ground finches. There is good snorkeling in the clear waters of the channel and this is one of the best sites at which to swim with sea lions underwater.
• Highlights: Snorkeling with sea lions, frigatebirds, Blue-footed Boobies
• Possible Activities: Short hike (less than 0.6 mi/1 km), dinghy ride, snorkeling.
• Type of Landing: Dry landing
• Difficulty: Easy/moderate

AM: San Cristobal: Pitt Point

• Pitt Point, situated on the north-eastern tip of the island, hosts frigatebirds, storm petrels, and all three types of Booby Birds: the Nazca, Blue-footed and Red-footed Boobies. A steep trail goes up a cliff and through a ravine leading visitors to an area with an abundance of birds. This site is also great for snorkeling and scuba diving.
• Highlights: Wonderful landscape, sea lion colony, three possible species of Boobies.
• Activities: Dinghy ride, snorkeling, kayaking & hike (1.5 mi/2.5 km)
• Type of Landing: Wet landing
• Difficulty: Moderate/difficult

PM: San Cristobal: Witch Hill

• Located on the northern coast, this eroded hill and its surroundings present one of the most picturesque beaches in the Galapagos with its white powdery sand and the abundance of animals. Wildlife includes sea turtles, rays, and various types of Booby Birds. The clear water provides an excellent opportunity for enjoying swimming and snorkeling.
• Highlights: Beautiful rock formations, sea lions, shore birds, finches and mockingbirds; snorkeling: nice tropical fish, anemones, sponge coral
• Activities: Hike, dinghy ride, snorkeling & kayaking
• Type of Landing: Wet landing
• Difficulty: Easy walk along the beach

AM: Floreana: Post Office Bay

• In the 18th century whalers passing through the islands placed a wooden barrel on Floreana Island for use as an unofficial mail box. The tradition continues today as visitors leave addressed postcards in the barrel and sort through left mail to deliver at home.
• Highlights: Barrel Post Office, nice sandy beach
• Activities: Short hike (less than 0.6 mi/1 km) & snorkeling
• Type of Landing: Wet landing
• Difficulty: Easy

PM: Floreana: Cormorant Point

• This site hosts a large flamingo lagoon where other birds such as common stilts, White-cheeked Pintails can also be seen. The beaches on this island are distinct: The “Green Beach” named so due to its green color, which comes from a high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand, and the “Four Sand Beach” composed of white coral.
• Highlights: Flamingoes, green-colored beach
• Activities: Dinghy ride & hike (1.2 mi /2 km)
• Type of Landing: Wet landing
• Difficulty: Easy

PM: Floreana: Devil’s Crown

• One of the best snorkeling sites in the Galapagos, this volcanic crater has been eroded by the waves leaving the northern and southern sides poking out of the water. The coral reef in the middle is perfect for attracting marine life. Snorkelers enjoy the variety of marine life and exciting currents that rush through the crown, creating an exhilarating experience.
• Highlights: The best snorkeling site in Galapagos Islands with sharks, rays, rock formations, lots of tropical fish.
• Possible Activities: Snorkeling
• Type of Landing: No landing
• Difficulty: Moderate/difficult

AM: Santa Cruz: Black Turtle Cove

• Black Turtle Cove is situated in the northern part of Santa Cruz. This inlet is surrounded by mangroves and is only accessible by dinghy. The shallow cove is a safe haven for young marine life. Blacktip and whitetip reef sharks, sea turtles, and a variety of rays are often spotted here.
• Highlights: Hammerhead shark babies, rays, sea turtles, sea birds
• Activities: Dinghy ride
• Type of Landing: no landing
• Difficulty: Easy

PM: Bartholomew Island: Pinnacle Rock

• Home of the famous Pinnacle Rock, Bartholomew consists of an extinct volcano with a variety of red, orange, black and even green volcanic formations. A trail of stairs leads to the summit of the volcano, boasting one o the best views of the islands. The beach is perfect for snorkeling and possible sightings of the Galapagos Penguin.
• Highlights: Pinnacle rock, panoramic view, moonlike landscape, penguins, pioneer plants, lava cactus; snorkeling: penguins, reef sharks, rays, and great colorful fish.
• Activities: Dinghy ride, snorkeling & hiking (1.2 mi/ 2km)
• Type of Landing: Dry and wet landings
• Difficulty: Moderate/difficult. Walk up to the top of volcano 114 meters, 375 wooden steps

AM: Genovesa: Darwin Bay

• This white-sand coral beach heads a half mile trail (.75km) that winds through mangroves filled with land birds. Nazca Boobies, Red-footed Boobies, and Swallow-tailed Gulls can be spotted here. Further down the path are tidal pools where sea lions swim playfully. At the end is a spectacular view off a cliff.
• Highlights: Nazca Boobies, Red- footed Boobies, Swallow-tailed Gulls, mangroves, coral pebbles beach, snorkeling: rays, colorful reef fish and hammerhead sharks
• Activities: Hiking (0.9 mi/1.5 km), snorkeling, kayaking & dinghy ride
• Type of Landing: Wet landing.
• Difficulty: Easy/moderate

PM: Genovesa: El Barranco

• Also known as Prince Phillip’s Steps, El Barranco’s steep, rocky paths leads up to a high cliff-face. A marvelous view can be appreciated from here. This site is also home to Palo Santo vegetation as well as Red-footed Boobies, Short-eared Lava Owls, Galapagos Swallows, and Galapagos Doves.
• Highlights: Red-footed Boobies, Short-eared Lava Owls, storm-petrels, Galapagos Doves
• Activities: Hiking (0.9 mi/2 km)
• Type of Landing: Dry, difficult landing
• Difficulty: Moderate

AM: Santiago: Espumilla Beach / Buccaneer Cove

• Espumilla Beach is a popular place for marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot Crabs. The crabs attract the hunting herons, performing the dance of predator and prey. With an abundance of marine life including octopi, moray eel, and shark, snorkeling is highly recommended.
• Highlights: Snorkeling
• Activities: Snorkeling and swimming
• Type of Landing: Wet landing
• Difficulty: Easy

PM: Santiago: Egas Port

• Also known as James Bay, Egas Port is home to the curious Galapagos Hawks and Quick-footed Galapagos Lava Lizards. The trail leads to a coastline with gorgeous tide pools and grottos full of fauna. Here the Galapagos Fur Sea Lions bathe in the sun. This is also a great snorkeling site.
• Highlights: Fur sea lions, Galapagos Sea Lions, tidal pools and “grottos”, Galapagos Hawk, oyster catchers, marine iguanas, finches; snorkeling: reef sharks, turtles, rays, nice underwater formations.
• Activities: Snorkeling, hiking (1.25 mi/2 km)
• Type of Landing: Wet landing
• Difficulty: Easy /moderate

AM: North Seymour Island

• Galapagos Sea Lions, Blue-footed Boobies and Magnificent Frigatebirds are abundant on North Seymour Island. The island was formed by a series of submarine lavas containing layers of sediment that were uplifted by tectonic activity. The island is characterized by its arid vegetation zone.
• Highlights: Land & marine iguanas, frigatebirds, Blue-footed Boobies, sea lions; snorkeling: Rays, reef shark, fish, garden eels.
• Activities: Snorkeling, dinghy ride & hiking (1.5 mi/2.5 km)
• Type of Landing: Dry landing
• Difficulty: Moderate/difficult

PM: Santa Cruz: Highlands

• Reached by bus from Puerto Ayora, the highlands of Santa Cruz are a deep green, contrasting beautifully with much of the dry, lower islands. The dominant vegetation in the highlands is the Scalesia trees, creating the lush green color. The lava tubes, over half a mile long, are underground and walking through them is a unique, surreal experience.
• Highlights: Lava tunnels, wild turtles, tortoises breeding center.
• Activities: Hike (1.5 mi/ 2 ½ km)
• Type of Landing: Dry landing
• Difficulty: Moderate (Long)

AM: Mosquera Islet

• Located between the islands of Baltra and North Seymour, this reef of rocks and coral (the result of an uprising) is only 160 meters across at its narrowest width. This island has one of the largest populations of sea lions and is home to many shorebirds. There have been occasional reports at this site of Orcas feeding on sea lions.
• Highlights: Orcas, Sea lions, shore birds
• Activities: Dinghy ride
• Type of Landing: None
• Difficulty: Easy

PM: Transfer to the Airport

• Please keep in mind that on departures days, your morning visit will be early and short since we need to be prepared before heading back toward the airport for your returning flight to Ecuador’s mainland.